X’s For Eyes : Parasomnia : 6.5 out of 10

Artistically speaking, this band has a lot going for them from the get go. Just take a look at the cover art; it’s very reminiscent of something you’d see from a 70s or before horror film. It’s somewhat gorgeous and creative. The music, however, is a bit iffy. I don’t think the theme goes hand-in-hand with the art, but that doesn’t deduct any points. What X’s For Eyes is trying to accomplish is a sludgy industrial metal onslaught with room for some improvised noise. I think that they mostly succeed in that venture though there is room for improvement. I’d like to see the cacophony of noises blended a tad bit better so everything pops a bit more; somewhat like some of my favorite metal bands in the world such as Power Trip or 3TEETH. While not in the exact same genre, the filth and general noise is alike, and I think that if X’s For Eyes were to focus on production of that level, they’d succeed further. 

hEADaCHE : Revolutions Per Minute : 4 out of 10 

While technically this piece has a much longer title, for the sake of my sanity I’m just going to keep it short. Just understand that this is the fifth collection of remixes. Contained within are remixes that hEADaCHE has conducted for other bands. While I don’t have the original tracks to compare them to (nor do I feel compelled to look for them on the internet), I’ll give some blunt thoughts. First track, sounds like the vocals were sped up for no real reason other than to fit the rapid electronic pace the remix brings. If they aren’t sped up, then the vocalist just sounds rushed and nervous. I wasn’t really a fan of the second track; an experimental bout from start to end with a bit of poor mix that doesn’t allow any elements to pop. Third, not exactly a by the books drum’n’bass remix, but nothing that I would find myself being a fanboy over. The vocals stick out for how good they are against the music. Mix is off in the fourth track, not sure if on purpose or not; vocals are buried behind the beat. Fifth, actually a pretty good dance remix. Lovely tunes, good mix, nothing overpowering anything. A harmonious example of a remix done right. But, that doesn’t give me much to enjoy and finds me lamenting my time with this collection. 

Scenius : Chinese Room : 5.5 out of 10

This single utilizes the analog sounds of the past with post-modern production but there’s something so slightly off about it. Which is probably the vocals. Definitely the vocals. While the digital effects do a bit of cover for them, there’s still a very flat set behind the scenes and it comes through. The beat isn’t half bad, either; a bouncy synthpop bassline as far as I can tell. But even at only three-minute and forty-some seconds I found myself feeling as if it didn’t have much to offer and came off repetitive and uninteresting after a while. Certainly not terrible, but it fails to capture my attention. 

3+Dead : 3+Dead : 7 out of 10

I’ve no idea what that formula adds up to and nor am I going to sit here and try to present an elaborate mathematical problem showcasing how I got to the solution. For there probably is none. But, there is a photo of a cat on this album and that’s a pretty cool deal to me. And if that cat is the one behind the music, that’s a fairly talented cat. This is a post-punk / darkwave band through and through that’s rather decent at what they do. Melancholy, filled with emotion, and with the right amount of nostalgia, lo-fi goodness, and grand production put together. Can’t say it’s extremely unique, however, which is the only striking point for the band, as the darkwave / post-punk scene is a bit over saturated as of right now. But, still, that’s not much to hold this bad boy back. 

Enetidstegn : Dream : 7.5 out of 10

Oh, shit, boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, this is one that I already bought. Now, I won’t lie; this is from Her Noise Is Violence’s Raye Albate, who has released on Brutal Resonance Records in the past. Love her work on HNIV, and I love her work here as well. In fact, I think I might enjoy her work on Enetidstegn even moreso than HNIV as its right up my alley. The blend of future fiction, chillwave, and a matrix like cover art that seems like a digital world is being made right before my eyes. I’ve one minor complaint about the album and that is the end of the songs; I feel as if they end too abruptly in most cases, as if someone just hit the skip button and the song was forgot. I would like to see either a flowing mix, where one songs blends right into the other, or palpable endings to them that feel like a good climax. Other than that, a job well done and a project I’m looking to see grow.

KUNT : FCKS GIVEN : 6.5 out of 10

I honestly wonder how large a band with a name like KUNT is going to get in the world; even if they manage to produce some of the greatest music in the world, I’d imagine that radios and the general public would be afraid to admit that they’re listening to a band named KUNT. Fortunately, I am not. KUNT is a synthpunk duo that punks a pretty serious punch. I think some of the beats are derivative of the electronic scene and needs a solid injection of originality to become more popular, but the vocals that range from punk-ish carelessness to squealing, to angry shouting are rather grand. Filled with emotion; rage. Anger. Love it. 

Nousia : Haute Magie : 3 out of 10

Ah, another drone / cinematic / dark ambient album where half the album is spent listening to a single drone note with hardly anything going on. Every once in a while there’s some fun as percussive elements penetrate the darkness, but those moments are so few and far in between that this album is the equivalent of staring at a brick wall and attempting to find entertainment. I have often thought that albums like this should be given reviews with less than three words, but given that I have sarcasm and a brain that doesn’t allow me to do that, this will have to suffice. This is one of those releases that I generally can’t recommend to anyone. Shame, to, as the production seems great but the tracks are just so fucking boring. 

Tumours Grow Teeth : The Dying Animal : 4 out of 10

I was led astray by the description of this album as the artist cites HEALTH, Street Sects, Aphex Twin, Death Grips, and other significant artists as influences and yet I hardly hear any of that on the animal. What I get instead is a mediocre attempt at some noisy electronic beats. ‘Let Us Go’ goes for a noisy, drum machine based beat but its sloppy and upsetting and contains no finesse. The same can be said for ‘Canine’, except in this case it’s like someone took the 8 bit sound effect of someone being hit, cranked it up to eleven, and exploited the sound for a song. Can’t say I found much redeemable on this little release, though perhaps Tumours Grow Teeth will find an audience with some. They won’t with me, however. 

ASSASSUN : Chronic Quicksand Depression Morning : 7 out of 10

This is an album that I’ve been playing on and off again since its launch trying to figure out if I like it or not. The general conclusion that I’ve come to is this: it’s both a hit and a miss for me. A hit for me as the experimental nature of the album alongside some of the more old school industrial elements are outstanding. Just check out ‘The Ivories And I’; a brilliant set piece against cold synths and melancholic melodies. But then you get a song like ‘Unfold On My Chest’ where the beat is funky and fun, but the almost spoken word vocals just don’t necessarily flow with it all that well. Perhaps that’s the punk part of ASSASSUN coming out, but I’d like to see more conformity as far as quality goes. The music and the beats are phenomenal; in most cases ASSASSUN just needs to reevaluate some lyrical delivery and hammer it on home. If that’s done, I think this project will be unstoppable. Still, I give it more praise than criticism, so a good seven out of ten.